Business websites and apps

Starting a website is simple. However, it is important to do it right. You'll benefit from writing a list of why you need a website and what you hope for it to achieve. Also, consider future growth as you prepare to start a business website.

Briefly, to start a website:

1. Purchase and register your domain name
2. Choose website host and plan
3. Outline website (pages and content)
4. Design website (using web tools or by hiring a designer)

Domains, the website address, is regulated by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number (ICANN). You can purchase your domain through accredited domain registrars. You should consider a few website domain options since your first choice may already be taken. It is free to search to see if your preferred domain is in use. You do not have to purchase your domain through your website host. Your website host will help you apply your domain to your new website

Domains are low priced. On average domains will cost you less than $20 per year. Sometimes hidden fees may be included in the contract or Terms of Service. Carefully review your contract before accepting terms and paying for your domain.

Website hosts offer a range of hosting packages. In addition, while some may say "unlimited," they are often not truly unlimited. Most small businesses do not require a lot of bandwidth and storage. A low-priced plan may suit your needs well. However, if you expect a large volume of traffic and have numerous, complex web pages, you may need to pay a bit more to provide your visitors with a good experience. To estimate your needs, consider how many visitors you expect and how large the page files are to guess what your needs might be. You can pay for a dedicated server, but keep in mind that it is a virtual server, you do not actually get your own dedicated hardware. Since everything nowadays is virtual, it's easy to upgrade your bandwidth and storage if you need to later.

It is easy to find a designer to build your website for you. However, nowadays many can manage to build a simple website on their own. Before you hire a website builder, ask yourself a few questions:

• Am I comfortable using website building tools? (try a few for free)
• If I pay to have my site built, will I be able to edit and manage the site on my own?
• If I need a simple site, is it worth it to pay someone to do it?

If your business is not yet making money, you may benefit from starting your first website on your own. Your first website doesn't have to be perfect and you may learn that your needs change as your business grows. Once you have the budget to improve your site, you may consider hiring a web expert to help you take the next steps.

Increasingly business websites are visited using mobile phones rather than a computer. While most web pages will render on a phone, they may not be designed to be "mobile-friendly." Mobile-friendly websites are designed for mobile and PCs, rather than just for PCs. Some are even designed for "mobile-first" since customers expect to be able to access websites from anywhere and they may not own a PC.

It's important that your website is optimized for mobile visitors. When you are building your pages, you should use the mobile phone preview tool, if available, and test the pages on several mobile devices.

Here are some tips for building mobile-friendly websites:

• Build pages that load quickly, test your load speeds
• Use easy-to-read fonts and short, clear sentences
• Utilize headers, lists, and bullets
• Minimize typed entries and the use of a mouse when you can
• Make it easy to find your location, directions, and pricing information
• Add a search bar and navigation buttons
• Add a click to call button
• Test, test, and test